Invalid-bedstead.



C, H. DANFORTH.

INVALID BEDSTEAD.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6,1918.

7 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Q Inventor: Charlesliflanforlh,

Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

C. H. DANFORTH.

INVALID BEDSTEAD.

APPUCATION FILED JUNE 6,1918

l ,Q8%;Q52; Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

VIII/111111471 inventor: Charleslifiaworm, b m/M.

C. H. DANFORTH.

INVALID BEDSTEAD- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6,1918.

Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- CharZasJfJanfo/ih,

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1%18.

Original application filed March 19, 1918, Serial No. 223,865. Divided and this application filed June 6,

' 1918. Serial No. 239,299.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. DAN- FORTH, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Danvers, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Invalid-Bedsteads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bedsteads and particularly to that class of bedsteads which are used for invalids, the particular object of the invention being to provide a device of this character which may be adjusted so that the occupant may be moved into a sitting position and which is also provided with a supplemental body-supporting frame which may be raised and lowered-relatively to the main bed frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide the leg-supporting section with afootrest which will be automatically moved into a position perpendicular to the leg-rest, whenever the latter is lowered into an inclined position.

A further object of the invention is to provide the main frame with oscillating cam-shaped arms coacting with the back rest whereby said back-rest may be moved to any desired inclination and locked in adjusted position.

T he invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be fully understood by ref erence to the description of the drawings and to the claims to be hereinafter given.

The present invention is a division of another appliczition of mine filed March 19, 1918, and numbered 223,855.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it to be understood that the various instruinentalities of which the invention consistscanbe variously arranged and organized and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described, except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a plan of a bedstead embodying the principles of the present invention, with the body lifting frame removed.

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 represents a transverse section of the same on line 3, 3, on Fig. '2.

Fig. 4 represents a transverse section of the same on line 4, 4, on'Fig. 2, with the spring horizontal.

Fig. 5 represents a detail in plan of a corner of the body-lifting frame and showing the means for stretching the transverselydisposed flexible bands thereof.

Fig. 6 represents a. section thereof on line 6, 6, on Fig. 5.

F i 7 represents an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 8 represents a, sectional detail of the means for elevating the body-lifting frame.

Fig. 9 represents a section of same on lin 9, 9, on Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 represents an end elevation of the same, and

Fig. 11 represents a detail of the flexible band showing the engaging hook thereof.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 and 11 are respectively the head and foot frames of a bedstead connected together by the side rails 12 to which midway of their length are secured brackets 13 supporting the side bars 14. To the head end of the side bars 1 there is pivoted at 15 a U-shapcd frame 16 adapted to be moved about the-pivot 15 into an inclined position as shown in Fig. 2 thereby forming a suitable back rest for the patient when placed in a reclining or sitting position.

The elevating of the back rest 16 is accomplished by cam-shaped arms 1? bearing against the underside of the frame 16, said arms being secured to a shaft 18 mounted in bearings 19 secured to the upper face of the side rails 12.

' To the shaft 18 are also secured gear segments 20 which may be formed integral with the cam members 17 as shown in the drawings.

In bearings 21 secured to the upper face of the rails 12 is a revoluble shaft 22 having secured thereon gears 23 meshing with the gear segments 20.

lVhen the shaft 22 is rotated in the direction of the arrow at on Fig. 2 of the drawings the cam arms 17 will raise the outer ends of the U-shaped frame about the pivots sired to lower the back-rest 16.

Each end of the shaft 22 is provided with a squared socket 27 adapted to receive the squared end of a crank by which rotation may be imparted to the shaft in the direction of the arrow a or by which the lowering of the back-rest 16 may be regulated.

When lowered the arms 17 retain the U- shaped back-rcst 16 horizontal in alinement with the side bars 14.

To the foot end of the side bars 14 are pivoted at 28, bars 29, to the opposite ends of which is pivoted a U-shaped frame 30 forming a foot rest when the bars 29 are inclined downwardly as'shown in Fig. 2 and the U- shaped member 30 has been moved perpendicularly thereto.

At 31 are pivoted to the side bars 14, the bent bars 32 having pivoted thereto near their outer ends the links 33, 34, the'former being pivotally connected to the foot-rest 30 and the latter being pivotally connected to the bars 29.

When the bars 29, 30 are moved, upwardly about theirvpivo ts 28, 31 the U-shaped mem ber 30 and the bars 29 nu; all be brought into horizontal position in alinement with the side bars '14.

The position of the members 29, 30 iscontrolled by the position of the rollers 35 on which the bars 32 rest.

These rollers 35 are secured to a shaft 36 mounted in bearings in the slides 37 which are adapted to be moved endwise of the side rails 12, each slide 3-7 having a flange 33 at its upper nd disposed in a groove in the upper face of a rack 39 secured to the under face of the horizontal flange of the side rail 12 as shown in Fig. 3.

These racks 39 have teeth 40 on their under-facesand spur gears 41 on the shaft 36 mesh with these teeth 40.

The opposite ends of the shaft 36 are provided withsquaredsockets 42 adapted to receive the squared end of an operating crank whereby the shaft 36 may be rotated thereby causing the slides 37 to-be moved along the racks 39 until the required inclination of the bars 29 has been attained or said bars and the foot-rest 30 have been alined with the side bars 14.

To the outer ends of the bent bars 32 are pivoted at 43, struts 44, having in one edge thereof a plurality of notches 45 adapted to engage a cross bar 46 on the foot frame thereby raising the outer end of the U- shaped frame 30 considerably above the pivots .28 thus providing means whereby the feet and legs of the patient may be raised considerably above the body which is often desirable.

A woven spring 47 is attached atits edges to the side bars 14, the U-shaped frame 16. the bars 29 and the U-shaped frame 30 and on this spring 47 may be disposed the usual mattress.

Bevolubly mounted in bearings 48 at opposite ends of the side rails 12 is a shaft 49 having at each end a squared socket 50 adapted to receive a square end of an operating crank by which said shaft may be rotated.

ing a part of the head or foot frames 1O, 11.

By means of this system of blocks and tackle the. tubular members 58 are raised whenever the drums 51 are rotated about 1 tneir axesv and said members may be low,- cred again to their normal positions when the pa MS 53 are disengaged from the ratchet wheels 52.

At the upper end of each tubular member 58 1s a lug 58- to which is secured a chain 60 or similar flexible member the opposite ends of which are secured at 61 to the end rails 62 of the supplemental body-supporting frame which is composed of said end rails 62, aconnecting rail 63 at one side and a revoluble connecting member 64 on the other side. I

This member 64 is tubular as shown in Fig.6 and in its opposite ends are positioned hubs 65 of ratche wheels 66 with which coact pawls 67 pivoted at 68 to the end rails 62.

The pawls 67 permit the members 64 to be rotated freely in-the direction of the arrow Z) on Fig. 4 but prevent rotation in the opposite direction as long as said pawls 67 are in engagement with the ratchets 66.

The hubs 65 are revolubly mounted in the bearings 69 secured to the end rails 62 and are provided with squared sockets 70 adapted to recelve the squared end of an operating crank by which said revoluble connecting member 64 may be rotated.

'hen the patient'is stretched flat 'upon the bed the bands 71 will rest flat upon the mattress with the frame 62(336-L surrounding the edges of said mattress, and when the patient is to be moved into a reclining or sitting position those bands 71 opposite the back-rest, the leg-rest, and the foot-rest are temporarily removed and theframe 62, 63, 64 remains in its lowestposition surrounding the mattress.

If it is desired to lift the patient from the mattress for any particular reason the bands 71 are positioned in the members b t -(St for their entire length and then by rotating the drums 51 the entire supplemental frame with the patient thereon may be quickly lifted into the position shown in Fig. 2, and retained in this position as long as desired.

iVhile the body supporting frame is in this raised position, the bed clothes and mattress may be changed, and if it is desired to give the patient some. particular attention every part of the body is accessible to the doctor or nurse.

()wing to the frame 62, 63, (A being hung from the lugs 5S by the flexible chain conneetions (10 the frame may he tilted into an inclined position thereby making it possible to more conveniently reach certain parts of the body.

it is obvious that by disengaging the pawls 52, the frame 62, (313, (it may be again lowered, the speed of the lowering being regiilated by the operating crank inserted in the socket 5U.

All of the sockets 27 42, 5t), 70 are of the same size and shape so that a single operating crank may be used in either of them.

The legs of the end frames it), it are proi'itlitl with a connecting bar 73 between wliich and the connecting bar l is a casing Ti inclosing the lower ends of the, tubular mem ers 58 andthe sheaves and 5b.

This makes a very convmiicnl bedstead for invalids in which the various parts may be readily changed in position to accommodate the various conditions of the patients occupying the same.

It believed that, the operation of lhe invention and its many advantages will be fully understood without further description.

Having thus described. my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a main frame; oppositely disposed side bars superimposed on said frame intermediate its ends; a leg-rest pivoted to said side bars; a foot-rest pivoted to said leg-rest; an arm pivoted toeach side; and links connecting the outer end of said arm to the footrcst and leg-rest.

2. In a device of the class described, a main frame; oppositely disposed side bars superimposed on said frame intermediate its ends: a leg-restpivotcd to said side bars; a foot-rest pivoted to said lcg-rest; an arm pivoted to each side and having one portion thereof parallel to and separate from said rests when alined; and links connecting the outer end of said arm to the foot-rest and leg-rest.

3. In a device of the class described, a main frame; oppositely disposed side bars sinierimposed on said frame intermediate its ends; a leg-rest pivoted to said side bars; a

foot-rest pivoted to said leg rcst; an arm pivoted to each side; links connecting the outer end of'said arm to the foot-rest and leg-rest; and a strut pivoted to the outer end of each arm, .and provided with plurality of notches to engage a fixed part of the main frame and thereby regulate the position of said rests.

t. in a device of theclass described, a main frame; oppositely disposed side bars superimposed on said frame intermediate its ends; a leg-rest pivoted to said side bars; members movable lengthwise of said main frame; a revolublo shaft in bearings on said movable members; rollers thereon coacting with and supporting said leg-rest: and means for moving said members lengthwise of said main frame.

5. In a device of the class described, a main frame; oppositely disposed side bars superimposed on said frame intermediate its ends; a leg-rest pivoted to said side bars; members movable lengthwise of said main frame: a revoluble shaft in hearings on said movable members; rollers thereon coacting with and supporting said leg-rest; a rack on said movable members; and a gear on said revoluble shaft meshing with said rack.

Signed by me at ilost Otlice St Boston, Mass. this 5th day of June, 1918.

CHARLES ll. DANFORTH.

l/Vi tnesses:

iVAi/i'nn E. LoMnAnn, 

